Biological sciences

Identification of genes associated with morphology in Aspergillus niger by using suppression subtractive hybridization

Article Abstract:

Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was applied for identifying the genetic elements related with pelleted and filamentous morphologies that are observed in manganese-induced and manganese-suppressed genes in Aspergillus niger and RNA blot analysis was used for studying the responses of the newly isolated genes to the different developmental stages during the fermentation process. The newly isolated genes could be involved in the regulation of Aspergillus niger morphology.

The genetic differences responsible for Serratia marcescens pathogenicity in cucurbits are identified by comparing the genomes of a cucurbit yellow vine disease (CYVD) strain, Z01-A, and a rice endophytic strain, R02-A. Primers are designed based on one Z01-A-specific sequence, A79, and used in a multiplex PCR to discriminate between Serratia marcescens strains causing CYVD and those from other ecological niches.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate both surface topography and micromechanical properties of Aspergillus nidulans spores. The result implies that the rodlet layer is significantly softer than the underlying portion of the cell wall.